Maham Anaga and Petticoat Government

Maham Anaga was one of the most influential figures in the early years of the Mughal emperor Akbar’s reign. She served as Akbar’s wet nurse and held an exceptional position of authority in the royal court during his minority. Her dominance, along with that of other female figures and court nobles, gave rise to what contemporary historians later referred to as the “Petticoat Government” — a period when women in Akbar’s household exerted significant political influence.

Background and Rise to Power

Maham Anaga emerged during the reign of Humayun, Akbar’s father, as a trusted attendant in the imperial harem. Her close relationship with the royal family strengthened when she became the wet nurse (or foster mother) to the young prince Akbar. In Mughal culture, foster relationships, known as milk kinship, carried deep emotional and social significance. A foster mother and her family often gained access to royal privileges and influence in the court.
After Humayun’s death in 1556, Akbar, then a minor of just thirteen years, ascended the throne under the regency of Bairam Khan, who effectively governed the empire as Akbar’s guardian and chief minister. During this period, Maham Anaga began consolidating her position within the royal household. Her ambition and intelligence enabled her to gain Akbar’s trust and exert considerable influence over domestic and administrative affairs.

Conflict with Bairam Khan

The regency of Bairam Khan was marked by military successes and administrative efficiency, but also growing resentment from factions within the court. Maham Anaga, motivated by political ambition, became one of the leading figures opposing Bairam Khan’s authority.
By 1560, she had successfully persuaded Akbar to assert his independence from Bairam Khan’s tutelage. Her efforts culminated in Akbar’s declaration of personal rule and the dismissal of Bairam Khan. Though the young emperor formally took charge, Maham Anaga’s influence over him and the imperial administration deepened during this transitional phase.

The So-Called “Petticoat Government”

The term “Petticoat Government” was coined by later chroniclers to describe the period between 1560 and 1562, when Maham Anaga, her son Adham Khan, and other influential women of the harem wielded real political power in Akbar’s court. The phrase metaphorically implied governance controlled by women, symbolised by the petticoat — a term referring to female attire.
During this time, Maham Anaga acted as Akbar’s adviser and, at times, the de facto ruler in court affairs. She controlled access to the emperor, influenced appointments, and made key administrative decisions. Her residence in the Agra Fort became an informal centre of power where nobles sought favours and royal audiences.
Alongside her, other women from the imperial household, such as Ruqaiya Begum (Akbar’s chief consort) and Hamida Banu Begum (Akbar’s mother), also played important roles, though none matched Maham Anaga’s assertive political authority. Her son, Adham Khan, was made the governor of Malwa and became one of the most powerful nobles in the empire, owing much to his mother’s influence.

Decline of Maham Anaga’s Influence

Maham Anaga’s dominance in the Mughal court was short-lived. Her growing power and that of her son soon aroused suspicion and resentment among other nobles and the emperor himself. Adham Khan’s arrogance and misuse of power further weakened their position.
In 1561, Adham Khan was appointed to lead a campaign in Malwa, where he defeated and killed the local ruler, Baz Bahadur. However, he concealed a portion of the war booty and sent only part of the spoils to the emperor. This act of disobedience displeased Akbar, marking the beginning of the decline in Maham Anaga’s influence.
The final blow came later that same year when Adham Khan murdered Ataga Khan, one of Akbar’s most trusted ministers and also a favourite of the emperor’s mother, Hamida Banu Begum. Outraged by this act of treachery, Akbar personally ordered Adham Khan’s execution. He was thrown from the ramparts of Agra Fort, marking a decisive assertion of the emperor’s authority over court factions.
Maham Anaga, heartbroken by her son’s death and stripped of her political standing, withdrew from court life. She died shortly afterwards in 1562, and Akbar reportedly arranged for her burial near her son in Delhi. Her tomb, known as Khirki Masjid or Maham Anaga’s Tomb, still stands as a historical monument.

Political and Historical Significance

The episode of Maham Anaga’s political ascendancy holds significant importance in understanding the evolution of Akbar’s early rule:

• Assertion of Imperial Authority: The downfall of Maham Anaga and Adham Khan symbolised Akbar’s emergence as an independent ruler. The suppression of the “Petticoat Government” marked the end of regency politics and court intrigue dominated by non-official power centres.
• Role of Women in Mughal Politics: Maham Anaga’s story highlights the influence of royal women and female attendants in Mughal political culture, particularly during transitional phases of power. Although women operated within the seclusion of the harem, they often wielded considerable authority behind the scenes.
• Court Intrigues and Factionalism: Her rise and fall underscore the complex web of alliances, rivalries, and personal ambitions that characterised Mughal court politics. It also demonstrates how the emperor’s household could become a powerful political arena in itself.
• Administrative Transition: The events following Maham Anaga’s downfall enabled Akbar to consolidate his empire under a centralised and disciplined administrative structure, laying the foundation for his later reforms and the stable governance that defined his reign.

Legacy

Though Maham Anaga’s political dominance lasted only a few years, her influence left a lasting impression on Mughal history. She exemplifies the unique position of women in the imperial household, whose proximity to the throne allowed them to shape policy and politics even in a male-dominated environment.
Her story also represents a critical transitional moment in Akbar’s reign — from dependence on regents and advisers to the assertion of personal authority. By decisively ending the influence of the Petticoat Government, Akbar demonstrated both his political maturity and his determination to establish a sovereign and centralised rule.